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Cesar ready to repay the faith

Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar says he is ready to repay the faith shown in him by Luiz Felipe Scolari at the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

Published

28 May 2014

Scolari has been criticised in some parts for including Cesar in Brazil's squad for the showpiece event, with the veteran shot-stopper plying his trade in MLS for Toronto FC.

But the 34-year-old, who is in competition with Botafogo's Jefferson and Atletico Mineiro's Victor to be number one, is determined to prove the doubters wrong as Brazil aim to advance past Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon in Group A on home soil.

"When criticism comes along, you have to accept it," said the 78-cap stalwart, who made his debut for Brazil in the 2004 Copa America. "It's just like an orange, you have to peel away the good parts and separate the bad parts.

"So this is what I do when I hear some journalists and reporters criticising Phil Scolari, for having chosen me before when I wasn't playing.

"It's a series of things really and you really have to work with this inside yourself, psychologically speaking. It's hard. I'm not going to lie, but I think the fundamental point is this: you always have to separate the parts that help you and this is what I've done.

"As for the fact that people say I now play with Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse, it's just a joke. I even joke about this with my team-mates when I'm with the national squad."

Cesar added: "I have been focused for three months just on my work, and I can tell you that I am 100 per cent focused for this World Cup."

The Toronto goalkeeper, on loan from England outfit Queens Park Rangers, also says his move away from Europe has helped him prepare for the World Cup after things went stagnate following Inter's UEFA Champions League success in 2010.

"I can tell you that I have never played better than after 2010. I'm more focused," Cesar said.

"I think that when things are happening in a positive way in your career, you start to lose, I don't want to say focus, but you start to relax a little bit. And I was really confident in 2010 because of what was going on with Inter, with everything that the media had created around it.

"Sometimes being over-confident holds you back. So today I'm a better professional, focused, and I can tell you that I wanted 100 per cent to play in this World Cup because what I did in Toronto has helped prepare me 100 per cent."